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Construction Business Loans: Get the Funding Your Construction Business Needs – Now!

EXCELCAPITAL - CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS LOANS

Construction Business Loans – Everything You Need to Know

As a  General contractor, you know that obtaining construction business loans is important to keep your business moving and operating in a fluid fashion. Construction businesses are not like a  traditional brick and mortar business when it comes to cash flow cycles. Most payments do not come until at least 90 days after the project start date which makes loans for construction companies a necessity.

Most contractors do not get paid in full when they sell their product. As a contractor, you know that selling the job or winning the bid for a project is just the beginning of a long cycle of payments. When a new job is taken on many contractors receive a small down payment upfront and receive progress payments or tiered payments as the job hits certain milestones. This delayed payment structure makes obtaining construction business loans crucial to maintain positive cash flow. 

What happens until the milestone gets met and how this affects cash flow?

Many contractors need to come out of pocket for many expenses like 

  • Payroll
  • Material Costs
  • Insurance
  • Equipment 

These expenses are crucial to keep your operations in order while completing the Job. 

Why Take Out Construction Business Loans Instead of Going to Your Local bank?

The main reason is timing – Most bank Just take too long! When you go to a bank most closings don’t happen overnight. 

Even if you try to avoid the timing issue by planning when you need it with the local bank many contractors that apply for a construction business loan with the local bank find out that without pledging collateral banks will more often then not decline a construction business loan due to contractors being placed in a high-risk bracket when it comes to traditional underwriting for construction business loans. At excel we understanding contractor loans. We worked with hundreds of contractors.

 

Why do Banks Decline Construction Business Loans?

There are a few reasons… 

Primarily Four:

Most contracts do not have collateral 

Construction is considered a  high-risk industry by most banks

Bad Credit

Receivables are not for work complete but rather for progress made on a job thats in process. Therefore receivables can not be factored. 

However,  in the event that collateral and stellar business credit are present the application and approval process for a construction business loan can be very long and tedious. With underwriting times often taking as long as  3 months.  When it comes to lending to contractors we understand how it can be frustrating to get approved for funding.  That why we approve contractors in under 48 hours generally.

*For more information on common reasons why your business loan application might be declined, read: 3 Reasons Why Business Loan Applications Get Declined By Traditional Lenders and Alternative Financing Solutions.

But there’s good news– there are now many alternative non-bank lending options available when it comes down to lending for contractors which can be used to obtain the funding your construction business needs, whether it be for:

  • New equipment
  • materials purchases for an upcoming Job
  • Payroll costs and new hires
  • Paying bills
  • Bidding on new jobs
  • Past due business taxes
  • Past Due Invoices

Whatever you need funding for, there are alternative lending options available to you which can get you the funds your construction business needs.

At Excel we have over a 90% approval rate when it comes down to lending to contractors since we have a specialty platform dedicated to underwriting construction business loans. 

Construction business loans the alternative options:

So, what are your options?

Well, you’ve got a lot. And it all comes down to what you need the funds for.

As mentioned above, no matter what you need funding for, there are several options available for you. However, some loan options are designed for specific needs while others are more general.

Equipment Financing

Equipment financing is used to help you purchase whatever equipment your business needs to run smoothly.

The loan amount is dependent upon the type of equipment needed, as the repayment term is usually as long as the expected life of the piece of equipment.

Invoice Factoring

Invoice factoring is used for short-term cash flow issues, especially when your business doesn’t qualify for a traditional bank loan or any other alternative solution.

The lender will factor your business’ customer’s invoices to match your working capital needs.

This type of program is rarely used for contractors since progress payments cannot be factored. Factoring companies only use invoices for work complete. In the construction business, it typically happens this way.

Unsecured Business Loans

This Program was designed for business owners to enjoy the benefits of a Merchant Cash Advance who do not accept credit cards at there business. Most contractors do not receive credit card payments – and even if they do its typically a very small percentage of the annual gross sales.

This works as a purchase of future sale at a discount that is converted into a set payment. This payment is remitted via ACH usually daily, weekly or monthly. 

This allows you to get construction business loans without any collateral just your sales.

Merchant Cash Advance

For those of you who accept credit cards at your business – Split funding, or a merchant cash advance, is a construction business loan based on a purchase of your future credit card sales at a discount.

Payments are collected at a set percentage of your credit card sales, which is nice because that means when business is down– so are your payments. And when there is no business– no percentage.

For that reason, this method really helps during a particularly volatile market or rough patch in your construction business.

Term Loans

Our fourth construction business loan option, term loans have a set repayment schedule and interest rate and mature between 1 to 10 years depending on the term of the loan.

However, keep in mind that this type of loan requires financial statements as well as 2 years of business history and one filed tax return.

Business Lines of Credit

A business line of credit is a rotating line of credit which you can dip into whenever the business needs it most.

Similar to a credit card, so long as you pay off your balance you can continue to use that line of credit continuously. Interest is then only paid off the amount that is used.

Asset-based Lending

Lastly, with asset-based lending, the assets of a business, such as inventory, accounts receivable, and other balance-sheet assets are used as collateral.

Plus, because this financing type is secured with collateral, interest rates tend to be low. Having applicable collateral also makes an asset-based loan easier to obtain.

What do I need to obtain a construction business loan?

Although alternative lender’s guidelines are not as strict as traditional bank and lending institution guidelines, they still take your credit score– and several other factors– into consideration when determining your eligibility.

For that reason, it’s important to know what those critical factors are so you can put yourself in the best position to be presented with an approval.

These are the “4 C’s of obtaining a business loan”:

Collateral

Typically, collateral comes in the form of property or liquid assets which are offered as a form of insurance in case you ever can’t pay the loan back. This is what people have come to be used to with bank loans, which are secured due to that collateral. Banks generally require collateral for construction business loans so be prepared.

However, alternative lenders are unsecured, meaning alternative lenders don’t typically take collateral as security for the loan.

Most Fintech, or alternative lending, products are only collateralized by your receivables and limited to business-related collateral, not personal.

Cash flow

The second ‘C’, cash flow is a critically important factor when applying for a loan.

Lenders like to see a healthy average ledger balance in the business account. And, if there are many returned or insufficient items in the account, lenders will often be reluctant to extend credit.

Capacity

Capacity refers to a track record of being able (or not) to make the revenue needed to pay back your loans.

This can be in the form of copies of contract invoices or a copy of your accounts receivable report.

Character

Lastly, the final ‘C’ character is determined by taking a look at the borrower’s personal credit history.

Some of the factors taken into account here are your total debt, delinquent accounts, available credit, and whether you’re making payments on time.

Keep in mind that even if you don’t satisfy each of the above factors, there are several other factors which alternative lenders take into consideration during the approval process.

But this is just one of the many benefits of alternative lending.

Why alternative lending?

In recent years, the way that banks lend money has changed.

It’s now far harder to obtain construction business loans or any type of loans for construction companies than it ever was before and the application and approval process is tedious and time wasting.

However, now alternative lenders have afforded business owners and contractors the chance to get the funding their business needs without having to jump through insane (and, frankly, outdated) hoops to get it.

Alternative lenders us more sophisticated algorithms for deciding the health of your business, taking into account much more than just your credit score (so don’t worry if you don’t have stellar credit), making it easier than ever to get the funding your construction business needs.

But the benefits of alternative lending don’t stop there:

  • There’s often no personal collateral or guarantee required
  • Minimum paperwork
  • Poor credit accepted
  • Repayment terms are flexible
  • Fast processing
  • No application fees
  • Builds your business credit
  • Funding in as little as 2 business days
  •  

How to obtain construction business loans

Ultimately, it’s up to you to do your research and find out what your best options are.

It’s your business and no one is going to look out for it like you will, so take the necessary steps to educate yourself and then take action to obtain the funding your business needs, whether that’s to keep things afloat or to take things to a whole new level.

Whatever the case, don’t let a lack of funding hold your business back from realizing it’s potential.

To apply for a construction business loan with Excel Capital, only four things are required:

  1. Four months of recent business bank statements
  2. Four months of business credit card processing statements
  3. A one-page application
  4. And just a few minutes to get started

We’ve made the process simple and straightforward so you can get back to what is most important– running your business.

Once everything is received, you can be presented with an approval and funded in as little as one business day– that’s right, just 24 hours.

Get the funding your contracting business needs by completing our short, 2-minute application.

We are experts in construction business loans – See the Excel difference for yourself.

Construction Business Loans – A Case Study

While the construction business is one of the oldest, most flourishing, and most competitive industries around, there comes a time when many of its business owners need access to working capital. The cost of equipment, materials, payroll, and slow turn-around rates trump the cash flow coming in, and many construction company owners find themselves weighed down by bills and overhead costs. Since the great recession of 2008, a traditional bank loan is no longer the go-to solution when it comes to acquiring capital. That old-school way of doing things sometimes ends in heartbreak due to waiting weeks just to receive an answer. That’s where the alternative financing industry comes into play!

With financing solutions such as the ever-popular Merchant Cash Advance, ACH Loan, Asset Based Loans, Equipment Financing, and more, access to working capital is easier than ever! There is no longer a stigma with taking a loan or any type of financing. Working capital is essential when it comes to growing a company of any kind, especially a construction company. Due to the cost of machines and equipment sometimes reaching well into hundreds of thousands of dollars, or the burden imposed by having contractors absorb the upfront costs when starting a job – such as the cost of construction materials like granite and wood – and not to mention, insurance costs and payroll for workers and employees, construction company owners should expect to reach out for capital at some point in their business’s lifetime. Some companies choose to do this more than once, and why not? If working capital is increasing your cash flow and allowing you to take on more jobs, it only makes sense to ask for more. Afterall, the goal most of us strive for is to ensure steady work flow and income for years to come.  

Recently, Marty, a construction company owner from Georgia reached out to my company, Excel Capital Management. Marty was in a crunch and in need of funds, and he needed them fast! With a handful of projects on his plate, along with receivables due to a form on a large ongoing project  not being paid on schedule, Marty asked us for working capital to be used towards the purchase of materials, construction equipment, licensing for projects to be completed, and payroll.  As you know, only a small fraction of projects pay upfront and most only payout in tranches after certain milestones are hit at. When workers and office employees expect to be paid, and materials need to be purchased, waiting for these payouts is not an option. In order to get things back on track, as well as to generate new growth, Marty asked our sales rep, Jordan Lindenbaum, for help in securing an ACH Loan Product – a short term funding product  paid on a daily or weekly basis by direct Automated Clearing House debits.

Marty’s situation was a tough one! He was owed close to $200,000 which was tied up and not coming in for at least thirty days, plus around $150,000 in retainage for completed contracts,  however, that was going to be payed out over six months. He also had both a  $2 million and a $1.5 million contract on the table respectively (both carrying a 20% gross profit), but those were not set in stone. Marty’s company had no time to wait with other projects lined up and needing to be completed by early 2016, however, they couldn’t be completed unless he had the means to hire more workers and purchase a few machines to keep up with the timelines in place. Obviously, without the aforementioned payouts, he was in a bind. To the Average Joe, these type of accounts receivable amounts seem amazing, but in the construction business, we know this revenue doesn’t always reflect the tangible finances. Most, if of not all, of the money is put back into the company to complete ongoing projects. Whether Marty could wait until his pay day or not – he needed some additional working capital, now.

After supplying us with a few bank statements, a business lease, his driver’s license, and a few other minimal stipulations, we were able to get Marty $80,000 in working capital in a matter of only two days! The daily repayment amount was only $400 per day – an ACH automatically debited (so Marty wouldn’t have to worry about making any large monthly payments – he could focus on his projects at hand) which would happen over the course of 12 months. It was as simple as that! No hassles or phone calls from banks, just a solid relationship with an alternative financing company, such as Excel Capital Management, and peace of mind.

Everyone needs a little help here and there, and there is no shame in asking for it. There’s more hope than ever for small to mid-sized businesses when it comes to acquiring working capital. Whether you need $5,000 or $5,000,000, there are options. Most of today’s top CEOs have taken loans or received working capital in order to grow their companies into multi million dollar corporations. You know the old saying. “It takes money to make money!” With our state of the art approval process loans for construction companies are one click away.

Guest Blog presented by Kabbage: How Fintech Has Helped the Small Business Lending Industry Grow

How Fintech Has Helped the Small Business Lending Industry Grow | Excel Capital Management | Kabbage

It is amusing the way popular art often foreshadows or even predicts the future. Science fiction movies focused on space travel long before the first probes were sent to explore the galaxy, and self-driving automobiles were part of novels on the future long before they even became a possibility. Perhaps the best example of popular culture accurately predicting the future happened in 1984. The movie “Revenge of the Nerds” depicted a ragtag crew of science geeks getting revenge on the jocks and popular kids at their school. 

Today, as foreshadowed in the movie, nerds indeed have taken over the world. From one of the wealthiest men in the world, Bill Gates to the domination of the geek and nerd driven internet, the nerd now is in global positions of power. These same nerds, while long in the institutional financial space, have decided to shift their focus to the retail financial sector.

The Emergence of Fintech

Fintech has capitalized on the relationships that can be formed between finance and technology to drive innovation for everyone from businesses to everyday consumers. Whether it is having the capability to access a bank account on a tablet or paying for an in-store product with a mobile phone, these ties formed between finance and technology are the epitome of fintech.

The so-called fintech industry is targeting a treasure chest of over $4.7 trillion once dominated by old school players. Following in the footsteps of the other disruptive nerd driven technology, the fintech sector is on fire in regards to growth. The sector drew $12 billion investor dollars in 2014, an over 40% increase from the previous year.

Within the retail financial sector, small business lending, personal loans and loans for professionals have already been radically improved by the growth of fintech. This is not just speculation about the future – every day, small business owners are taking advantage of the new world of lending powered by the fintech revolution. 

Fintech vs. Traditional Lending

The fintech revolution has the traditional institutions very concerned. Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase’s CEO, warned in his investor letter that “Silicon Valley is coming.” Jim Marous wrote in The Financial Brand, The impact of digital technology and the digital consumer is transforming the way consumers access financial products and services. Beyond simple transactions, such as checking balances, the intersection of finance and technology (fintech) is impacting virtually all categories of financial services at an increasing rate, reshaping the industry’s status quo.

Backing up his contention, Marous cited, Results from a PwC survey, ‘Blurred Lines: How FinTech is Shaping Financial Services’, found that the majority of survey participants see consumer banking and fund transfer and payments as the sectors most likely to be affected over the next five years. The report included responses from 544 CEOs, Heads of Innovation, CIOs and top management involved in digital and technological transformation across the financial services industry in 46 countries.

While these projections and warnings remains premature, it is a tell as to what the future holds for the overall financial sector from the fintech revolution. Truth be told, the fintech lending space remains a tiny part of the overall lending industry. One example of the size differential could be considered with $9 billion in loans funded by a fintech firm. While $9 billion is a tremendous amount of money, it is peanuts compared to the total loan volume. Even just compared to the $885 billion in total credit card debt outstanding in America, it is like a flea on an elephant’s back. 

An Analysis of the New Lending Industry

Traditional institutions stand to gain from the growth of fintech. Fintech has accelerated the growth of the small business lending sector in multiple ways. First, and perhaps most critically, fintech has lowered the cost of making loans for the lender. These savings can then be passed down to the borrower, creating a less-expensive product. Lending costs have been slashed by cutting out physical branches, legacy IT systems and burdensome regulations, allowing a more direct connection with the borrower.

Also, by moving the application process to the internet, additional costs can be cut from no more physical paper application processing. For example, the standard loan cost for a traditional lending institution is 5-7%.  Fintech lenders can cut this number down into the 2% zone. 

Next, fintech has opened up an entirely new clientele for business lenders.  Due to a lack of pertinent data and ways of processing it, traditional small business lenders are forced to rely on the old fashion ways of approving borrowers. The old style approval process takes into account credit score of the business and owner as well as the collateral to secure the loan.

The new fintech small business lending firms consider hundreds of data points, often in real time, to make credit decisions. This practical use of big data enables the new wave of fintech small business lenders to make loans that were previously impossible by traditional means. Credit-worthy customers may not have the collateral or perfect credit score to qualify at a bank for small business financing. However, the new wave of fintech small business lenders can be secure in making these once impossible loans.   

Finally, fintech is in the process of creating a more stable credit environment. The reason for this is the simple fact that banks rely on borrowed money to fund loans whereas fintech small business lenders use investor’s money directly to fund loans. This helps eliminate the inherent risks of borrowing to lend.

Wrapping things up, as you can see, fintech has revolutionized the financial industry and online business lending in particular. Although fintech remains a tiny part of the overall financial sector, it is rapidly growing. Using big data and high-speed processing computers, fintech firms can make loans that were once considered impossible by traditional lending institutions. In the process, fintech is super-charging the small business lending world with growth and new possibilities.

Kabbage is the industry leader in providing working capital online. Kabbage is dedicated to supporting the small business community and has funded more than $1.6 billion to help business grow.

3 Reasons Why Applications For Business Loan Get Declined

3 Reasons Why Business Loan Applications Get Declined By Traditional Lenders and Alternative Financing Solutions

Almost all business owners apply for some sort of financing to grow their company at one point or another. When it comes to applying for for this financing through a traditional bank or lender, the process can be a tough one, and many business owners walk away with a big fat decline. While this may be disheartening, there are many reasons why business loan applications get declined and lenders are so strict, and there are still other options out there. Let’s take a look at the three main reasons why business loan applications get declined by traditional banks and lenders, and then take a look at the great alternatives that are available!

Why Traditional Lenders Decline Business Loan Applications:

  • Low Cash Flow: If a traditional lender decides to give your business a loan, they will want to see the ability to make payments back on the loan amount in addition to covering all other business expenses. Unfortunately, tough times do occur where businesses don’t generate enough revenue at certain times of the year – maybe they are a seasonal business. Some business owners, such as contractors, aren’t paid until jobs are completed or they must pay inventory suppliers upfront before they get paid. Tight margins typically do not sit well with traditional lenders and you could get your business loan declined.
  • Poor Credit, Bad Credit, or No Credit: Like NorthShore Advisory Inc. Credit Expert Tracy Becker told us in our exclusive interview, “in today’s fast-paced business world, more partners, lenders, and potential accounts need to make quick decisions as to which suppliers, borrowers, and partners they want to work with; decision-makers use a variety of business credit scores, indexes, and reports to discard unqualified candidates from being considered for a partnership or a loan.” A business’ credit score is a major factor when a traditional lender considers approving them for financing. Poor credit, bad credit, or simply no credit can almost always guarantee a decline. To learn more about how businesses can improve their credit score, visit: http://www.northshoreadvisory.com/
  • No Collateral: Traditional banks and lenders almost always require some sort of collateral to secure a loan. Collateral can come in the form of a vehicle, personal or business property, equipment, and/or other assets. If a business owner defaults on the loan, this collateral will then be seized for nonpayment. Unfortunately, many business owners (especially young business owners or startups) do not have collateral to put up when it comes to acquiring a loan, or the lender may not deem anything the business owner has as anything of value.

Your Business Loan Application Got Declined By A Traditional Lender – What Are The Alternatives?

Despite the fact that traditional lenders can take weeks to process your loan application and also require a lot of paperwork, there are alternative financing solutions available if you got your business loan declined. Unlike big banks, alternative lenders typically only require you to submit a simple, one-page application, 4 months of recent bank statements, and 4 months of recent credit card processing statements in order to get an offer and approval in a matter of days! Let’s take a closer look at the alternative funding solutions available to your business so even if your business loan was declined your options are open!

Merchant Cash Advance: Short-term financing transactions that are collected through a set percentage of your visa and MasterCard sales that are accepted at your place of business. Probably the most common term used in the industry. These do not have a set repayment schedule and are based on the volume of your business’s credit card processing sales. These are usually only guaranteed by the future sales of your business.

ACH Advance: A form of a merchant cash advance that is repaid on a daily basis by direct ACH debits rather than a merchant account.   These are still a purchase of receivables and the amount debited via ach are determined by the amount of credit card processing sales that are batched out the previous day.

ACH Loan Products: These are a bit different than cash advances as they are considered loans and may have personal guarantees. They have a fixed repayment schedule that is paid either daily, weekly or monthly. These products are catered to industries that do not accept credit cards and need a fixed payment.

Accounts Receivables Financing: This is one of the oldest forms of funding in history. This is used mainly when a business is due some sort of capital for work complete and is billed on a net 30, 60 or 90. for example, ABC Trucking delivered goods for xyz logistics but only receives payment from xyz logistics in 60 days. ABC can then factor the money due from XYZ at discount to receive the capital due in 60 days today.

Invoice Factoring: The purchase of accounts receivable for immediate cash.

Equipment Financing: A type of loan or extension of credit to a business, with the purpose of helping the business acquire new equipment. Equipment Financing Extends only the capital needed to purchase a specific piece of equipment and is most commonly written as a lease.

Business Lines of Credit: A rotating loan that gives business owners access to a fixed amount of money, which they can use day-to-day according to their need for cash. Interest is only paid on the amount of the advance actually used.

Start-Up Funding/Loan: A type of loan that provides a new business/company with sufficient upfront capital to get off the ground.

Asset Based Loans: A business loan secured by collateral.

SBA LOANs 504 Loans: The US Small Business Administration 504 Loan or Certified Development Company program is designed to provide financing for the purchase of fixed assets, which usually means real estate, buildings and machinery, at below market rates.

Term Loans: A loan that is backed by a bank for an exact amount that has a specified repayment timetable and  interest rate that are adjusted accordingly. Terms mature between 1 and 10 years.

It’s pretty clear to see why an alternative lender may be the way to go when it comes to applying for financing for your business. No complicated application process, no lengthy paperwork and documents, and an approval in as little as 3 business days! For more information on alternative financing solutions and what Excel Capital Management can offer your business, visit: https://www.excelcapmanagement.com/loan-form/